Aside from having the brake pedal go right to the floor at an inopportune moment (that would be pretty much any moment), nothing erodes a driver's confidence more than a sense that the rear end of his car is eager to beat the front end into a turn.

The Porsche's brakes didn't provoke any doubt. They were always there, always strong; our test car had the optional ($8840) carbon-ceramic brakes. But cornering was another story. When we hustled the car around the fast Willow Springs track, we found ourselves countersteering a lot more than anyone found comfortable. And this with the new Porsche Stability Management engaged.

"Spring-loaded for oversteer," read a logbook notation. Not a plus in slow corners; paranoia territory in fast ones, and Willow Springs has some very fast ones. So we were cautious during timed lapping, with a predictable consequence. The Porsche was blazingly fast on Willow's straights, but we posted quicker lap times with the Audi. As well as quicker lane-change speeds. We left Willow Springs with respect for the Porsche's power and relentless braking, tempered by wariness concerning what it might do if a driver were a little injudicious with the throttle. In the days that followed, though, fed a diet of demanding mountain roads, the 911 Turbo's performance slowly restored the test crew's confidence.

More on that in a minute. First, a quick hardware review. The 911 Turbo series dates to 1976 in the U.S. and continues to be the ultimate aspirational ride for true Porschephiles. Obviously, there have been changes over the decades: more power, more refinement, more money. But the basic concept continues—engine over the rear wheels, some 60 percent of the mass at the rear, and a profile that's become almost too familiar.

Thanks to the water jacketing added to the classic flat-six engine in 1998, the profile has also become very snooty. There's a lot of Porsche extending beyond the front wheels—that's where the radiators live—and it's difficult to guide the car up a driveway ramp without scraping the chin spoiler.

But that and other minor irritations—ride quality that can be occasionally harsh, for example, especially with the dampers in sport mode, and high noise levels—are offset by the rush that goes with the Porsche's 3.6-liter twin-turbo flat-six. The well of torque—505 pound-feet—seems bottomless, with a curve as flat and endless as Nebraska. Hitched to a 3520-pound car—lightest in this group—the boxer six produces face-distorting hustle: 0-to-60 in 3.8 seconds and even more impressive midrange punch. Spot a hole in freeway traffic, and the Porsche is there. Think teleportation.Okay, this Turbo's acceleration numbers weren't quite as quick as those posted by the car we tested in Europe last September, but we put this down, in part, to conditions—high winds, dirty pavement—that also slowed the Audi R8. But if you're a torque junkie, the 911 Turbo offers a big fix that's always as close as your right foot.

As noted, confidence in the Turbo's dynamics ramped back up during two days of mountain-road action. Grip from the hefty Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires was abundant; the steering nearly matched the Audi's for accuracy and feel; the brakes made us begin to believe they're worth the extra dough; the six-speed manual gearbox was reasonably precise; and the twin-turbo six delivered huge helpings of power, regardless of gear choice. The R8 was easier to drive quickly, but the Porsche's power covered that disparity.

In addition to addictive power, the Porsche got high marks for its beautifully crafted interior, including the optional adaptive bucket seats ($1145), with everything clad in handsome dark cocoa leather ($430). There were other extras—GT Silver Metallic paint ($2380) and the Sport Chrono package ($1840) prominent among them—that made this a rather pricey example of the breed. Still, for the base price—$123,760—you get all the essentials, including the monster engine. The 911 Turbo may not provide the kind of driving delight we experienced in the Audi R8, but absolute power in a legendary sports car is still a combination that's absolutely seductive.

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